A total of 252 full-length and short documentary films will be screened at the 28th TIDF, with a record number of 80 world premieres, as well as 32 international and 11 European premieres. The opening film of the festival (March 5) is Ask E. Jean by Ivy Meeropol, while the Oscar-nominated Mr. Nobody Against Putin will close the festival March 15.
“From Ukraine and Gaza to Sudan and Iran, and to every place where democracy, justice, and human rights are being tested, the anxiety about what comes next remains intense,” the festival writes in a statement, coosigned by Elise Jalladeau, General Director; Orestis Andreadakis, Artistic Director; Yorgos Krassakopoulos, Head of Program; Eleni Androutsopoulou, Head of Greek Film Festival, and Angeliki Vergou, Head of Agora.
“The hope that conflicts might come to an end, that peace, stability, and social cohesion might prevail, cannot take shape as long as violence, racism, hate speech, and authoritarian political practices continue to be normalised. As long as the machinery of war remains in motion, openly threatening global stability, there is no room for complacency.
“Here, at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, we have the fortune, the joy, and above all the responsibility to underline the importance and the true power of the art of documentary, the indelible power of memory and truth. Grounded in our belief in the universal values of freedom, democracy, equality, inclusion, and dignity, we have prepared a festival that brings into view what is unfolding in the world. What concerns us. Without footnotes.
“This is the direction we follow in order to provide a safe framework for talented and tireless documentary filmmakers from around the world to present their work. Work that, at times, entails risk and a personal cost greater than what the camera allows to be seen. That is why bringing these filmmakers and their invaluable work to the Festival’s audience, and their meaningful interaction over 11 days in Thessaloniki, is for us a mission of the highest importance.”
JULIETTE BINOCHE TO ATTEND THE FESTIVAL
Actress/filmmaker Juliette Binoche will attend the 28th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival to present her doc debut In-I In Motion, which depicts her collaboration with renowned British dancer and choreographer Akram Khan. She will share thoughts, impressions and experiences on life both in front of and behind the camera with festival audiences. Binoche will also be attending Thessaloniki in her capacity as President of the European Film Academy – the next European Film Awards ceremony will take place in Athens in 2027.
GRAND TRIBUTE TO ARCHIVES
The 28th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival hosts a grand tribute titled All the World’s Memory that runs through various pillars of this year’s edition, from film screenings and open discussions all the way to the Festival’s spot and editions. The tribute includes:
- Films that do not simply recycle the past, but tend to reinterpret it in critical fashion, paving a dialogue between memory, history and present-day.
- The commission of an original artwork: Within the framework of its collaboration with the General State Archives of Greece, the Festival commissioned an original artwork to the talented director Aristotelis Maragkos, who created the short film The Unknowing of Things, which also serves as the final part of the three-fold program of archival films Rewind.
- An open discussion titled “Genealogy of the Future”, which will take place March 9.
- The Festival takes part in an exhibition hosted at the MOMus-Experimental Center for the Arts with the installation THIRD PERSON (PLURAL) by visual artist Aikaterini Genisian, based on the use of archival material. The film version of the work will be screened at the 28th TIDF.
GOLDEN ALEXANDER AND TRIBUTE TO VOUVOULA SKOURA
The 28th TIDF will foreground filmmaker Vouvoula Skoura, “whose works redefine our relation to memory, history and time. The tribute will showcase a total of 20 films, [and] the pioneering Greek filmmaker will be bestowed with the Festival’s honorary Golden Alexander for her contribution to Greek cinema and culture,” the festival writes.
GOLDEN ALEXANDER TO BILL MORRISON AND A SPOTLIGHT ON HIS WORK
The 28th TIDF will also bestow an honorary Golden Alexander on the American multimedia artist Bill Morrison, who will attend the Festival to present his work and deliver an open-to-the-public masterclass. Six of Morrison’s films will be screened.
GOLDEN ALEXANDER TO YORGOS PAPALIOS
The Festival will also bestow an honorary Golden Alexander on the iconic film producer Yorgos Papalios, “whose name has become a synonym of the Greek cinema rebirth, as he offered support to countless up-and-coming filmmakers in their first steps.” The documentary Running on Waves by Yannis Karapiperidis, that focuses on Papalios will be screened at the Festival, while he will also serve as jury member of the International Competition section.
GREEK DOCUMENTARIES
57 Greek films will screen as part of the official international program (International Competition, Newcomers Competition, Film Forward Competition, Open Horizons) and the Platform+ section. The documentaries taking part in the extended Platform+ section will be screened at the Festival’s digital platform from 6 to 20 March, gaining a wider availability window for the audience. Among the Festival’s Greek documentaries the festival will present:
- The special screening of the documentary Why the Mountains are Black: Rituals produced by COSMOTE TV and directed by Fivos Kontogiannis.
- The special screening of the documentary …One Road the Sea, produced by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) and directed by Voula Kostaki.
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM
- The 28th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival hosts four competition sections.
- A total of 14 films, of which three are Greek, take part in the International Competition. The films will compete for the Golden Alexander, accompanied by a 12,000-euro cash prize, and the Silver Alexander, accompanied by a 5,000-euro cash prize.
- The Newcomers competition section features debut and sophomore films of up-and-coming film directors, includes 14 films, of which three are Greek, competing for the “Golden Alexander – Dimitri Eipidis,” which is accompanied by a cash prize of 10,000 euros, and the Silver Alexander, accompanied by a cash prize of 4,000 euros.
- The >>Film Forward competition section, which challenges cinematic conventions and showcases unconventional films, presents 10 films, three of which are Greek. The awards bestowed are the Golden Alexander >>Film Forward, accompanied by a cash prize of 6,000 euros and the Silver Alexander, accompanied by a cash prize of 3,000 euros.
- Within the framework of the Immersive: All around Cinema competition section, eight pioneering films compete for the Golden Alexander Immersive, accompanied by a 2,000-euro cash prize.
- Dynamic and out-of-the-box docs are selected for Open Horizons section, while the cream of recent docs appear in Top Docs section. SCROLL DOWN TO SEE TITLES
- The younger generation is catered for in the NextGen section. SCROLL DOWN TO SEE TITLES
DESMOND CHILD IN THESSALONIKI
The festival will host the world premiere of the documentary Desmond Child Rocks the Parthenon. The legendary American composer and producer will be in Thessaloniki, with the film’s director Heather Winters and producer Phoebus, the well-known composer and lyricist behind major hit songs.
AGORA
“Dynamic initiatives, as well as new and fresh synergies are part of the 28th TiDF Agora, the Festival’s developmental branch, which will take place both in physical spaces and online,” the festival writes. TIDF Agora showcases and supports the films and the documentary filmmakers of tomorrow through a series of actions such as Thessaloniki Pitching Forum, Docs in Progress, Agora XR Lab, Agora Boost, Agora Talks, Talking Heads etc. As for the actions launched for the first time in this year’s Festival, the European Film Academy, in collaboration with Agora, will host a Think Tank of leading European documentary professionals. In addition, the Agora will invite a delegation of four producers from the Basque Country to present their projects before acclaimed professionals of the industry.
THE FESTIVAL BECOMES A FILM
“The Thessaloniki International Film Festival, beyond being an institution of international scope, becomes this year a film itself,” organisers write. “Our major sponsor, COSMOTE TELEKOM, has taken the initiative to create a hybrid documentary focusing on the Festival’s history and everyday life. The film is directed by Giorgos Grigorakis, the talented filmmaker behind Digger, and produced by Christina Stavropoulou and Nicholas Alavanos of Filmiki Productions. The protagonists, Christos Passalis and Konstantina Messini, along with the entire crew, will move through the Festival this year, capturing its secrets.”
PODCAST SECTION
A total of ten podcasts take part in the Podcast Competition section, competing for the Best Podcast Award, which is accompanied by a 2,000-euro cash prize. The audience will also have the chance to enjoy another 13 podcasts selected at the Nexus sub-section. The ENS Louis Lumière Award – French Institute of Greece for Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator Award will be bestowed at the closing ceremony of the 28th TIDF.
OPEN HORIZONS SECTION
- … ONE ROAD THE SEA, Paraskevi KOSTAKI, Greece, 2025, 81΄
- 2m², Volkan ÜCE, Belgium, 2025, 80΄
- 67 BOMBS TO ENID, Ty McMAHAN & Kevin FORD, USA, 2025, 89΄
- 80 ANGRY JOURNALISTS, András FÖLDES & Anna KIS, Hungary-Germany-Czech Republic-Denmark-Norway, 2026, 95΄
- A BETTER TRUTH, Lorenza INDOVINA, Italy, 2025, 85΄
- AMERICAN DOCTOR, Poh Si TENG, USA-Malaysia-Qatar-Denmark-Palestine, 2026, 92΄
- AMILCAR, Miguel EEK, Spain-Portugal-France-Sweden-Cape Verde, 2025, 88΄
- BARBARA FOREVER, Brydie O’CONNOR, USA, 2026, 102΄
- BETWEEN BROTHERS, Tom FASSAERT, The Netherlands-Belgium, 2026, 105΄
- BITTER CHOCOLATE, Alexandros SKOURAS, Greece, 2026, 86΄
- BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL: THE KWAME BRATHWAITΕ STORY, Yemi BAMIRO, USA-UK, 2025, 99΄
- BLACK ZOMBIE, Maya Annik BEDWARD, Canada, 2026, 93΄
- BORN TWICE, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Greece, 2025, 75΄
- COLLAPSE, Anat EVEN, France, 2026, 83΄
- COOKIE QUEENS, Alysa NAHMIAS, USA, 2026, 91΄
- DAD GENES, Craig DOWNING, USA, 2026, 62΄
- DON’T COME UPSTAIRS, Mike LOBEL, Canada, 2026, 85΄
- DON’T WORRY SΑRI!, Sári HARAGONICS, Hungary-Bulgaria, 2025, 82΄
- DREAM OF ANOTHER SUMMER, Irene BARTOLOMÉ, Spain-Lebanon, 2026, 70΄
- ECHOES OF BENEATH, Vasilis BARACHANOS, Greece, 2026, 56΄
- ESTADOS GENERALES, Mauricio FREYRE, Peru-Spain, 2025, 76΄
- EVA’S IMMUNITY, Yannis MISOURIDIS, Greece, 2025, 90΄
- EVERYBODY TO KENMURE STREET, Felipe BUSTOS SIERRA, UK, 2026, 99΄
- EYES OF THE MACHINE, Daya CAHEN, The Netherlands, 2025, 76΄
- FLANA, Zahraa GHANDOUR, Iraq-France, 2025, 85΄
- GAZA GRAD, Sawsan QAOUD, Palestine, 2025, 77΄
- HOT COLD WET DRY, Klearjos Eduardo PAPANICOLAOU & Marios KLEFTAKIS, Switzerland-Greece, 2026, 90΄
- I SAW A “SUNO,” Katalin BÁRSONY, Hungary, 2025, 92΄
- JARIPEO, Efraín MOJICA & Rebecca ZWEIG, Mexico-USA-UK, 2026, 75΄
- JASON’S BOX, Michael STRASSBURGER, Germany, 2026, 88΄
- KILLING ANNA, Sam BENSTEAD, UK, 2026, 76΄
- KITKATCLUB – KINKS OF BERLIN, Philipp FUSSENEGGER, Germany, 2026, 96΄
- KREATOR – HATE & HOPE, Cordula KABLITZ-POST, Germany, 2025, 110΄
- LEFT LANE STRAIGHT, Caroline KAYE, USA, 2026, 81΄
- LIFE AFTER SIHAM, Namir ABDEL MESSEEH, France-Egypt, 2025, 80΄
- LONDON, Sebastian BRAMESHUBER, Austria, 2026, 122΄
- LORD, TAKE ME SOON, Guillermo F. FLÓREZ, Spain-France, 2025, 71΄
- LUST FOR LIFE, Viktor NORDENSKIÖLD, Sweden-Germany, 2026, 87΄
- MAILIN, María Silvia ESTEVE, Argentina-France-Romania, 2025, 89΄
- MARIINKA, Pieter-Jan DE PUE, Belgium-The Netherlands-Germany-Sweden, 2026, 94΄
- MARY, Yannis GAITANIDIS & Persefoni MILIOU, Greece, 2026, 70΄
- MENOPAUSE MYSTERY, Louise Unmack KJELDSEN, Denmark-Germany-Norway, 2026, 75΄
- MULTIPLE REFLECTIONS OF YOU. WINTER SWIMMERS, Andreas SIADIMAS & Yannis ANGELAKIS, Greece, 2026, 105΄
- NO MERCY, Isa WILLINGER, Germany-Austria, 2025, 105΄
- NUMAKAGE PUBLIC POOL, Shingo OTA, Japan, 2025, 80΄
- NUNS vs. THE VATICAN, Lorena LUCIANO, Italy-USA, 2025, 92΄
- ON THE DRY ROCK, Yeşim USTAOĞLU & Jasmin Selen HEINZ, Turkey, 2026, 82΄
- ONCE UPON A TIME I REACHED AMERICA, Angelos KOVOTSOS, Greece, 2025, 94΄
- PAINTING WITH FIRE, Mark JONES, UK, 2026, 72΄
- POPEL (ASHES), Oier PLAZA, Spain-Czech Republic-France, 2025, 90΄
- RAILCARS IN THE RAIN, Thomas SIDERIS, Serbia-Bulgaria-Greece, 2026, 80΄
- REALITY IS NOT ENOUGH, Paul SNG, UK, 2025, 88΄
- REBEL, Anna M. BOFARULL, Slovenia-Spain, 2026, 79΄
- SACRED WAY, 21KM, Nikoleta PARASHI, Greece, 2026, 73΄
- SCARLET GIRLS, Paul CURY, Dominican Republic-Mexico-Germany, 2026, 70΄
- SHELTER, Adrián SILVESTRE, Spain, 2026, 92΄
- SILENCED, Selina MILES, Australia, 2025, 97΄
- SURVIVORS – RECLAIMING HER MYTH, Maria LOUKA & Nina Maria PASCHALIDOU, Greece, 2025, 76΄
- SYNTHETIC SINCERITY, Marc ISAACS, UK, 2025, 70΄
- TELL ME, Nikos MEGRELIS, Greece-Germany, 2026, 70΄
- THE CURSE OF KANE, Even G.BENESTAD & August Baugstø HANSSEN, Norway-Finland-Denmark, 2026, 85΄
- THE GROUND BENEATH OUR FEET, Yrsa ROCA FANNBERG, Iceland-Poland, 2025, 82΄
- THE LAST PROMETHEUS OF DONBAS, Anton SHTUKA, Ukraine, 2025, 104΄
- THE MARBLES, David WILKINSON, UK, 2025, 113΄
- THE NIGHT SMELLS OF JASMINE, Antonis KOKKINOS, Greece, 2025, 70΄
- THE OLDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD, Sam GREEN, USA, 2026, 87΄
- THE PUBLIC PRIVATE HOUSE – 9 STANZAS FOR ATHENS, Tassos LANGIS, Greece, 2025, 115΄
- THE QUEEN AND THE SMOKEHOUSE, Iga LIS, Poland, 2025, 65΄
- THE RADICAL SELF, Johann FEINDT & Tamara TRAMPE, Germany-Switzerland, 2026, 120΄
- THE SPRUCE FOREST, Tudor GIURGIU, Romania-Moldova, 2025, 74΄
- THOSE WHO TOUCHED WAR, Michalis KASTANIDIS & Io CHAVIARA, Greece, 2026, 72΄
- TRACES, Alisa KOVALENKO & Marysia NIKITIUK, Ukraine-Poland, 2026, 82΄
- TRISTAN FOREVER, Tobias NÖLLE & Loran BONNARDOT, Switzerland, 2026, 90΄
- UNCLE ROY, Keri PICKETT, USA, 2026, 87΄
- VILMA: THE LAST GOODBYE, Costas BAKIRTZIS & Kostis STAMOULIS, Greece, 2026, 80΄
- WAVES WON’T STOP, Ioannis PAPALOIZOU, Cyprus, 2025, 75΄
- WE ARE PAT, Rowan HABER, USA, 2025, 87΄
- WE HAVE TO SURVIVE, Tomáš KRUPA, Slovakia-France-Austria, 2025, 102΄
- WHERE SHADOWS REST, Marianna ECONOMOU, Greece-Canada, 2025, 87΄
- WHITE LIES, Alba ZARI, Italy, 2025, 98΄
- WOMEN FIGHTERS – 3RD PART 1960-1974, Leonidas VARDAROS, Greece, 2026, 80΄
NEXTGEN SECTION
- 14 GOING ON 15, Victor BONNEL, France, 2026, 21΄
- BELLEVILLE BEATS, Hugo SOBELMAN, France, 2025, 88΄
- BELLEVILLE KITCHEN, Marine GAUTIER, France, 2026, 72΄
- CIRCUSBOY, Anna KOCH & Julia LEMKE, Germany, 2025, 82΄
- COOKIE QUEENS, Alysa NAHMIAS, USA, 2026, 91΄
- GRANDPA HAS A BROKEN EYE AND MOM IS AN A ADVENTURE, Marita MAYER, Norway, 2025, 8΄
- I SAW A “SUNO,” Katalin BÁRSONY, Hungary, 2025, 92΄
- JUST JOOLS, Ezra VERBIST, Belgium, 2025, 17΄
- MAYA’S SONG, Jayakrishnan SUBRAMANIAN & Franziska SCHÖNENBERGER, Germany, 2025, 13΄
- THE FABULOUS TIME MACHINE, Eliza CAPAI, Brazil, 2026, 70΄
- THE MYSTERY PACKAGE, Silje EVENSMO JACOBSEN, Norway, 2026, 80΄
